Michelle Phan (@michellephan)
Social media offers a powerful platform to show talents, personalities, passions, and expertise from all over the world. Latinas, who are drastically underrepresented in media and Hollywood, have bypassed the gatekeepers and grown communities of millions of followers, turning their online presence into successful businesses.
Michelle Phan, of Vietnamese and Mexican descent, is one of the pioneers of the beauty influencer niche. With over 8 million subscribers on YouTube, 1.8 million followers on Instagram, and many more across other platforms, Phan has built an empire with her makeup tutorials, skincare tips, and lifestyle content. She has expanded her online presence into a successful makeup brand, “EM Cosmetics,” making her a millionaire.
▲Lele Pons (@lelepons)
Lele Pons is a Venezuelan-American influencer who became famous online through Vine, where she posted funny skits with her friends. Eventually, she transitioned to YouTube, where she continued growing her following with funny sketches, collaborations with other influencers, and her own music. Today, she has 53.6 million followers on Instagram alone and she’s focused on business, music production, and acting.
▲Yovana Mendoza (@yovana)
Formerly known as “Rawvana,” Yovana Mendoza is a Mexican-American influencer in the health and wellness space with 1 million followers on Instagram. She gained attention online for sharing her raw vegan diet until her health started suffering. It became clear that the “healthy” lifestyle she was advocating wasn’t healthy at all when she developed SIBO, which is excessive bacteria in the small intestine. This led her to experience bloating, have severe stomachaches, and even lose her period and hair. Based on medical advice, she started incorporating animal protein into her diet and prioritizing her health. Then, she rebranded to just “Yovana” and is actively working to promote a balanced lifestyle. Not just with the brands she partners with, but also through her own products, including her app Simplefit.
▲Dulce Candy (@dulcecandy)
Dulce Candy is another Mexican-American and she has an interesting background because she started her YouTube channel while serving in the U.S. Army. She started in the beauty space, but over the years, she expanded her brand to include fashion, lifestyle, motherhood, wellness, spirituality, and mindfulness. Dulce has 1 million followers on Instagram, and her following continues to grow!
▲Bethany Mota (@bethanynoelm)
With over 4 million followers on Instagram and over 9 million subscribers on YouTube, Bethany Mota is one of the biggest influencers in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle space. She’s of Mexican and Portuguese descent and is well-known for her lifestyle content, where she shares her favorite products, does GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos, and shares her day-to-day life, with millions of people thinking of her as a comfort content creator.
▲Katy Roach (@katy)
Known as Lustrelux on social media, Katy is a Mexican-American beauty influencer who became known for her makeup tutorials, product reviews, and chic sense of style. She started on YouTube, where she has over 1.8 million subscribers. Now, she focuses more on Instagram, where she has over 2 million followers, and she also launched her own clothing brand, called “Thirty Years.” Additionally, she collaborates with big beauty brands and keeps her content engaging with a steady presence online.
▲Paola Alberdi (@paolaalberdi)
Paola Alberdi is a fashion expert in the influencer space and she has worked with brands like Chanel, Gucci, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, and Coach. She has also worked with beauty brands like Givenchy Beauty and Sephora, so she’s a big deal in the space. As a Mexican American, Paola resonates with many Latinas. She has successfully broken into the business world as the founder and creative director of “Blank Itinerary,” a bilingual fashion and lifestyle platform featured on Vogue México, Forbes, and Harper’s Bazaar.
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